Grupo Signum Puerto Rico1 Moderating for Deliberation Tips for an effective moderating Prof. Alfredo Carrasquillo-Ramírez Sacred Heart University San Juan, Puerto Rico

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico2 Deliberation is different from…  Debate  Rational Planning  Group Therapy  Mediation  Crisis Intervention  Talk Therapy  A traditional academic forum  Appreciative inquiry

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico3 Conditions for a deliberative dialogue  An ethical insertion in the community context.  A recognition of the existence and urgency of a problem.  Trust in the moderator.  A minimum of trust among community members.  Trust in the proposed methodology (Understood as a vehicle and not as an end).

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico4 Rules of the Game  The dialogue is intended to help us reach a decision together.  Everyone is encouraged to participate.  No one should monopolize the conversation.  The dialogue should be centered in the approaches.  Listening is as important as speaking.  Participants should be encouraged to speak to one another and not to the moderator.  All approaches should be considered.  An environment of dialogue should be sustained.

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico5 The moderator... A moderator’s role is to ensure that participants deliberate on the selected issue and that they follow the ground rules of the group.

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico6 The role of the moderator  To understand deliberation as a process and not as an event.  To give direction to the process and not to contents.  Stimulates participants to understand what others think about the issue.  Stimulates participants to understand the values behind each approach.  Facilitates the conversation when dealing with conflicting emotions.

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico7 The role of the moderator  Should never express an opinion on the issue.  Does not assume that neutrality implies ethical neutrality.  Motivates the group to look for solutions and to make decisions.  Helps the group in the process of constructing a public voice.  Listens with patience, respect and attention.  Knows well both the topic and the issue book  Animates the exchange by posing questions to the group.

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico8 BASIC QUESTIONS FOR MODERATORS

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico9 What is valuable to us?  How has this issue affected you personally?  What concerns you about this issue?  What is appealing about each approach?  What makes each option a good idea –or a bad one?

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico10 What are the costs or consequences associated with the various options?  What would result from doing what this option proposes?  What would be the argument against the option you like best?  Is there a downside to this course of action?  Can anyone think of something constructive that might come from this policy?

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico11 What are the tensions or conflicts in this issue that we have to work through?  What do you see as the tensions between the approaches?  What are the “gray areas”?  Where do you identify a sense of ambiguity?  What makes this issue such a difficult one to handle?

Grupo Signum Puerto Rico12 Can we detect any shared sense of purpose? In our interdependence is ground for action?  What direction seems best?  Where do we want to go with this policy?  What costs and tradeoffs are we willing to accept?  What are we willing to do as a community to solve this problem?